Back again (for now), the "retired" (and future Tonight show host) Tony Butterworth and the always active Dave Criddle play songs and discuss the home recording and songwriting issues of the day.

We'll see how it goes but as discussed on the show we might be going to a more irregular schedule. Outside of a, much appreciated, core of listeners and contributors there is not much interest in the show, very few songs sent etc, so we'll see how it works out. If you have them then send in your songs and we'll try to get some shows out. If you want to do your own show or co-host then let us know.

* Trailer Park On Mars - The Pocket Gods
Ramones-y! Nice rocker to get the first show of 2010 off to a good start.

* Dream of the Perfect Take - Albert Forssall
I think you're channeling Syd Barrett a little here in terms of sound. I also think you're the first person that actually listened when I said "great idea, go write a song about it." Nice job. Especially the backup vocals. Cool stuff on the break. I like the punchline ending.

* Knew Better Than That - Dean Ferrell
Nice live and lively sound to this. Another good one.

Now, what would the HMHS be without the distinguished Mr. Butterworth?

“Trailer Park On Mars” Pocket Gods
Neat tune with a driving and powerful beat! Nicely recorded and produced. It just occurred to me that I’m no longer “Trailer park trash”! Guess I’m just back to being an “apartment dweller”. Don’t know whether that puts me up a wrung on the social status or not.

Teddy Pendergrass died this week too. Bummer!

Taylor Swift!! Yay!! She’s from my area!!

“Dream of the Perfect Take”-Al Forssall
Sounds a bit disjointed and “off”, but I suspect you wanted it that way. If that’s the case, it’s very effective and amusing! Well, that HAS to be the case, because you are so talented, as has been proven again and again in your “legit” songs. Neat novelty!
Love the ending!!

“Knew Better Than That”-Dean Ferrell
Cool!! I really like your voice. Takes me back to the 60s. Also, neat song.
“More of a songwriter than a musician” says Mr. Ferrell. Kinda like the way I feel about my musical situation.

“All That She Wants (Is another Shawarma)” - Brown Sabbath
You’re right! This is good stuff!! I gotta try a Shawarma sometime, if I can find any around here. Sounds good. So does the tune. Great stuff, BS, but you might want to expand your horizons with your subject matter, like maybe write about hot dogs (or something).

T & D; I wouldn’t mind hosting a show sometime in the future. It would be easier for me now that I’ve got high speed internet. Couldn’t be right now, cos I still got a lot on my plate as far as my “Relocation project” is progressing, but perhaps in the Spring or Summer. I’m willing to offer my assistance here, if you’ll have me.

Hey, I just wanted to say that I listen to the show. I usally have a lot of thoughts about what is being discussed but feel I can never efficiently put my thoughts into words.

I sympathize with Tony's love/hate relationship with his musical/recording life. I've had my recording equipment and instruments sitting unused for months at a time for many years now. I have some guilt at spending a ton of money over the last 15 years (In my world a few thousand dollars is a ton of money) and not having much to show for it (especially in the last 5 years). Sometimes I feel that making music is like liking/eating ice cream. People don't force themselves to eat ice cream, there are no nutritional motivation, if someone loves the taste of ice cream they will be "compelled" to eat it. I"ve heard of established artists having dry spells where they have to force themselves to write. I'm sure for some it has at times came down to a paycheck. Some artists have more noble motivations to keep writing through dry spells, their self-image is tied up in being a productive writer. I've always sort of felt that if I don't feel like making music I shouldn't worry about it (like not feeling like a bowl of ice cream), but sometimes I feel like I'm being lazy and if I "made" myself make music I might "get back into it"...I've only made about 5 songs in the last 7 years but in my mind I still often think of myself as a song-writer/recorder, so it is still part of my self-image.

To me setting out to make a good song is sort of like running for President. Sure there a noble motivations, but you have to be a little full of yourself to think that you are the person who can do it.

I don't want to sound like downer, I listen to the show and am always searching for that (1 in a 100?) song that will make me want to listen to it over and over again. I've discovered several of these song on the Homemade Hit Show.

Trailer Park On Mars - The Pocket Gods.An accomplished pop tune, well played and the mix has a real quality in its range of variation, just the right ear candy and an exciting listen. Keeps you hooked in.

It is an odd thing, this motivation lark. You have to folow your heart and yet it is good to push yourself to force a bit of creativity. Your committment must be to yourself and the HMHS has to be fun to do even if no one listened to it. The HMHS is it's own reward!

I recently did an open mic night in an (almost) empty room. Snow and ice kept singers and audience away. I just enjoyed playing. I've had other almost empty nights and I've been tempted to pack it in, sick of setting up and packing away. Especially when arrogant performers wind me up and, under the duress, I so often play really badly. But it struck me that what i was doing was worthwhile and - if i didn't do it - what else would I be doing? the answer came back... NOTHING. Or at least not much. So I stuck at it and I'm enjoying it again now.

Writing a true song. I couldn't write a song if I didn't have something to say, no matter how inane sometimes. I maybe start off direct but then I twist it and take specifics out out, "embellish" good word on this. I tell lies through song. Myths have meaning but are not reality. Songs can be true but couched in the artifice of song. That said I think I write quite a bit of autobiographical stuff.

Dream of the Perfect Take - Albert Forssall
Well done Albert this is suitably mad but very likeable. The perfect take would sound too squeaky clean perhaps. Claim that the mistakes add character, that's one way out. If anyone disagrees tell them they don't understand your art.

Knew Better Than That - Dean Ferrell

I liked this one, especially how the vocals take front centre stage and really sing out to the listener. A lot of homemade recorders (me included) tend to be push the vocals back as they're more confident of the instrumentation.

Dave, which Brian Eno album were you listening to? I've got 4 new ones over the last few weeks. 'Plateau of Mirror' and 'The Pearl' are my favourites at the moment. Not to mention some superb tracks on 'Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks'.

I might even have a song soon... I got 3 or 4 half recorded this last week.

All That She Wants (Is another Shawarma) - Brown Sabbath
Shawarma, I'm already a fan. Good, fun tune, I'd like to hear more from these guys. I like the writing process they have adopted. I found recently that a few beers aided the creative process. Fun AND homerecording, now there's something in there. It reminds me we should be doing this for fun and perhaps pushing ourselves less. Well done fellas, and the mix is rather clever.

Polly wrote:Dave, which Brian Eno album were you listening to? I've got 4 new ones over the last few weeks. 'Plateau of Mirror' and 'The Pearl' are my favourites at the moment. Not to mention some superb tracks on 'Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks'.

The Pearl and Drawn From Life are two I have been listening to a lot lately. Harold Budd - Candylion is another I really enjoy.

Drawn From Life is a collab with J Peter Schwalm who I know nothing about. That is a really cool album.

I have been toying with the idea of making an ambient song myself.

Kerry - Writing Drought - You know, I have found if I just keep writing, something good will come out. Some that I start out excited about don't pan out and some I am not excited about at the start end up getting much better. I think I just need to keep on plugging.

Always enjoy the show -
I can understand if you feel fatigue after doing so many shows - and I think its right for you to take a break. I think there is a good chance you just need to recharge your batteries, since, when you look at it objectively, the home made hit show is DARNED COOL.

If your fanbase isnt increasing, maybe its to do with the marketing of the podcast - I dont know how much effort you take to get it "out there" (for example, do you have any promos that people could play on thier podcasts?) - anyway I am no expert, but maybe to bring in fans (and other songwriters) I think they are out there - Soundclick has 455,000 bands so there are a lot of amateurs out there -perhaps you could consider a bi-weekly podcast, so that you both make a podcast one week, then dream up elaborate ways of getting exposure for the week when you are taking a break. I personally quite like the small format, although 30 people is probably a little bit too small to be fun for you guys with the effort you put in

Anyway, I really enjoyed the music -

Trash blowing around on mars? - Enjoyable but I had no idea what it was about

Alberts song was really good lo-fi but engaging music- The simple "warts and all" recording actually came accross as really intimate and genuine to my ears -it might be worth looking into - I personally am sort of lazy when it comes to recording, and you have given me a glimpse that "less can sometimes be more" - good stuff

The song about the guy spending all his money - This was good with an engaging series of images in the "story"

The Schwarma song - This almost reminded me of something you might find on Youtube (LOL cats or something) - But was tons of fun, and I am also wanting a shcwarma now!

All the best guys - dont get disheartened - And I will definitely co-host a show if anyone wants - I have offered before!

Late night has never been the same since Johnny Carson. They all follow the same format. How many dang late night shows do we need? The best thing about late night is Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. But I just watch him on Youtube and bypass all the other stuff.

Something is familiar about the title. I feel like I've heard that title before. Maybe not.

I've never heard of the chap. Sorry to hear it.

Did your parents bring you to NME? I downloaded it off the Internet and got a virus.

I've been playing keys since Christmas time and it is very refreshing. I haven't gotten any songs recorded, but I've written some outlines. 15 minutes a day, minimum. I still play guitar but just five minutes or so to keep the callouses on the old fingers.

You guys are under no obligation to run the show. It's when this hobby becomes obligation that it ceases to be fun. I personally like the show, but I've got to admit that posting comments has become very difficult as my PC doesn't react well (see previous HMHS posts for details). Tonight's problem is that I type and then don't see what I type for about five seconds. Okay, this is unbearable. I'm logging off. I'll listen to show and then post comments.

Dream of the Perfect Take - Albert Forssall - Actually it sounds just like one of my perfect takes. You captured the recording process well. I personally stopped worrying about the pefect take a long time ago, ever since my first song, to be exact.

Okay, now the area where I type is moving up and down as I type. I like the HMHS but my PC hates the HMHS forum. The only way I can stop it from moving is to hold my left click on the mouse down as I type. Crazy man.

Let's see, what do my notes say...
Knew Better Than That - Dean Ferrell - Lovely guitar. This is one of the reasons I've stopped playing for the most part. I've reached whatever skill level I am going to reach on guitar and I think it sapped my creativity in the process. Very nice recording.

I've listened to no new music in weeks. I've listened to very little music other than this forum since Christmas really. I do believe "It Might Get Loud" is out on DVD so I hope to rent it from Netflix soon.

All That She Wants (Is another Shawarma) - Brown Sabbath - The vocals remind me of Zappa. I'm not a big fan of the novelty song, but this recording is certainly well done.

Finally coming around to this episode, after a couple of download mishaps.

First, thanks to all for your nice comments about my humble contribution for this week's (actually last week's) show. It was an interesting read.

Now, on to the show... Wow, that's a snappy guitar tune. No wait, it's the show tune. I'd forgotten what it sounds like.

The Pocket Gods never fail to deliver. Catchy, poppy, unpredictable. Nice big sound this time. Oh, and a CD coming out; do release it on MP3 for us on the other side of the Atlantic, pleaaaaase.

Tony going acoustic: I see HMHS Unplugged coming up. Where you're not allowed to use the Internet to distribute the show so it has to be... errr... mail. Or just a really big loudspeaker.

Writing (direct) lyrics: When I write my more "sincere" songs, it's always about 90% fiction and 10% real when I write, but it's that 10% that drive the story. "Amplified reality" is a good term for it. Takes time and determination, but is so much more rewarding when it's done.

Albert Forssall - It's strange how this guy's name is almost that of my own.

Dean Ferrell (shouldn't it be Ferrall, Tony?) writes really funny and clever lyrics. And a catchy chorus. I'd like to hear more from this man.

Brown Sabbath is indeed funny with a clever production (it can't be easy to get all those speaking parts right). I like the guitar solo. All in all, a pretty horrible listen.

Well, I was on this show, so I don't feel guilty for not sending shows. How about you?